DISCLAIMER: I do not own BBC Robin Hood or any related characters or items. I am merely borrowing them. Elizabeth, however, is mine.
Chapter Three
Robin had been right.
When morning broke over Sherwood, his companions were in far better moods than they had been the previous night. The anticipation of reaching Locksley later that morning quietened any continuing thoughts of that nature: Much was humming to himself as they strolled through the forest and Elizabeth was back on speaking terms with Robin.
Robin could barely contain his own smile as they finally reached the edge of the forest. Walking beside his old friend, he ran his fingers through a bush as they passed. Robin felt it bristle against his fingertips - remembering the village and the life that he had left behind to join the King in the Holy Land. It was difficult to believe that they had been away for five years but it would be good to be home at last.
Elizabeth had been walking behind them, watching Robin and Much as they covered the last mile to their home. She had never been to Locksley before - she could barely even remember Duncote, the Lincolnshire village where she had been born - but Much had talked of their home in Nottingham many times on their journey, speaking of the happy memories that he had of the area before he and his master left for war. Robin's mood often brightened whenever the subject of Locksley arose. It seemed to be a truly content place.
Eventually, they reached the crest of a hill that overlooked the village below. Locksley was a small village in Nottinghamshire; Robin once said that it would take just under an hour to travel between his home and Nottingham by horse. There were several small wooden huts that were scattered around a large central grassy area. There was also a larger manor house, which was a short distance from the other homes - this presumably was Robin's house.
Laughing in sheer delight at the sight of the village below them, Much threw his arms around Robin, embracing his friend, "We did it, Master. We're home!"
"Yes we did, my old friend. Yes, we did." Robin glanced over Much's shoulder - noticing that Elizabeth had come to a halt beside them. She was staring at the village. He released Much, and turned to face her as he grinned, "Elizabeth, welcome to Locksley."
"It's beautiful," she said softly. "I am grateful Robin, I really am."
Much had already started down the hill, humming to himself again - leaving Robin and Elizabeth to follow on behind him.
"I gave you my word that I would see you safely up to Lincolnshire. I intend to keep it." Robin continued, gesturing ahead of them, "I'll take you there myself once we've rested here for a few days. I imagine that Much will probably want to join us."
Elizabeth smiled at him, "Thank you. You know that is going to be strange without being around you and Much."
"Strange?"
"Quieter..." she clarified with a grin. Robin had to laughed at that. "Seriously though," Elizabeth continued after a moment, "I am going to miss you both."
"Of course, you'll miss me!" Robin smirked at her, "What's there not to miss?"
In lieu of a verbal response, Elizabeth settled for hitting Robin's forearm with her hand. He pulled a face, rubbing the offending area. "What was that for?" he asked, pouting at her. She merely smiled, averting her eyes. Robin rolled his own eyes and snorted.
"Good morning." They heard Much calling ahead to a villager. Robin glanced up to see the man drawing water from a well, but to his surprise the villager immediately dropped his bucket and hid his face. Without stopping to pick up his bucket, the man scurried away from the three figures. "A welcome home would be nice," Much grumbled to Robin as the villager disappeared from their sight. "It's not too much to ask, is it?"
Robin frowned but did not give him an answer as they finally entered Locksley. He glanced across his lands and the people that lived on it. Something was wrong, he knew it. He had left this place as a happy community but now it was if a darkness had fallen over the villagers. They were too quiet, too subdued for his liking - no one dared to meet his gaze. He barely recognised the place that he had grown up in.
Eventually Robin noticed a man that he recognised. The man was working by a fence and so did not see them approach. Robin called out to him, "Dan? Dan Scarlet?" Startled, the man turned at the sound of his name, "Dan, it's me. Robin."
Dan Scarlet studied Robin's face for a moment before recognition kicked in and he broke into a wide smile, drawing Robin into an embrace, "Master Robin! Is it really you?"
Robin grinned and nodded as Much came to a halt beside his friend.
"We are returned," Much said cheerily. " Unharmed and unscathed" He paused, glancing briefly at Robin, "Well mostly scathed." Suddenly his stomach grumbled and Much added hastily, "Happy and hungry... but mostly hungry."
"Dan. You remember Much, my manservant, don't you?" Robin gesturing his hand towards Much. When Dan nodded his acknowledgement, Robin waved his hand again - this time at Elizabeth who was standing behind him, "And this is Elizabeth d'Eresby. She's travelled with us from Kent. I've agreed to see her safely up to Lincolnshire and until then, Elizabeth is my guest."
"It is an honour, Mistress d'Eresby." Dan motioned to Robin and Much when she smiled brightly at him. "I believe that you're in good company." But his movement brought his right arm to immediate attention of those present.
Frowning again, Robin indicated the stub at the end of Dan's right hand, "What happened?" He asked, "An accident?"
"There was an incident," Dan explained, lowering his arm. He nodded towards the watchtowers that over looked the village. "Guy of Gisborne runs your estates for the Sheriff. It has been hard, Robin. There has been one tax after another for the King in the Holy Land. It's been difficult just trying to make ends meet." He sighed, "I know it was wrong but my boys - they took some game. I tried to stop them, and so did Gisborne's men. They caught Will and Luke. Me to. Someone had to loose a hand. Better me than them."
As Dan was talking, Elizabeth found herself staring at the guards on the watchtowers. It not matter how many times that she had seen similar brutality in recent weeks; it did not matter how times she had seen Robin stop such brutality - it still made her shudder with horror. The Law might demand these punishments, but it didn't mean that it was right.
Robin's angry tone brought Elizabeth back to the present, "You are a skilled man!" he growled, waving hand at the wooden cottages around Locksley. "You built half this village. I will see that you are fairly compensated," he said determinedly.
"I would much rather see my boys in good health." Dan admitted quietly, refusing the offer. "Then I will be happy."
It was at that moment that the door to the nearest hut swung open, revealing the presence of a small and skinny boy. Behind him in the darkness of the hut, Elizabeth could just about see that there was also another young man. The boy was carrying several logs but suddenly seeing that his father had company, he ducked his head and tried to head back to the relative safety of his home.
"It's alright boys," Dan called, waving them forwards. "This is Master Robin. You remember him?"
"Yes, it's alright." Robin tried to reassure them, "I'm not going to hurt you. Come on."
The younger boy returned, holding a longbow in his hand. His elder brother followed him but kept at a distance. "This is my bow. My dad make it for me," Luke said cheerily, showing it to Robin. He looked curiously at the older man's bow, and then at the one that Elizabeth was carrying, "Why is your bow like that?"
Luke's older brother, Will, remained by the door. He watched as Robin showed his younger brother his Saracen-style bow. Elizabeth could see that he was fairly tall and skinny, like his brother. They also seemed to shared the same youthful facial features, but there was also a sense of additional maturity about Will. If she had to guess, she thought Will looked a couple of years younger than herself - possibly around eighteen. Elizabeth offered him a small smile, which he returned.
"Is it true that you can hit a man from 500 metres?" Luke asked Robin, holding his own bow again. "Can you really do that?"
Robin grinned at Luke's question. Elizabeth had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing - if there was something that would surely boost Robin's ego, it was that. There was no denying that he was the best shot that she had ever seen but when Elizabeth heard Robin's modest response, she couldn't help but want to laugh. "I've had a lot of practice."
Luke aimed his bow and fixed an arrow in place, "I've been practising to." He released the string and fired his arrow but to his horror, the arrow imbedded itself into the fence that his father had been working on.
Robin chuckled as he patted the lad on the shoulder and turned to the boy's father. "He's a credit to you and Jane..." he trailed off suddenly when he saw Dan's fallen expression. "... Jane? No! Your wonderful wife..."
"It's been two years," Dan's voice started to crack but then he blinked heavily, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill, "But, Robin, we're not the only ones who have suffered here. Everyone has..."
Dan was interrupted by the sound of thundering hooves riding towards the village and he fell silent. Upon seeing the yellow-uniformed soldiers, Will leapt into action. He snatched both the bow from his brother's hand and the fallen arrow, and throwing them into the darkness of their home. Will turned back around as an imposing figure, clad in black leather, followed the soldiers onto the village green.
Elizabeth glanced briefly at Robin - this was his land after all and she would follow his lead. He shook his head slightly, motioning for her to remain quiet. He wanted to wait and watch the events that unfolded.
The leader tapped the reins of his black stallion impatiently, watching as his men ordered the Locksley villagers to appear before him while they search for the items that they were looking for. When he finally addressed the villagers, it was with growl that he spoke, "There are ten sacks of flour that have gone missing from the store." Narrowing his eyes at them, he continued, "It will be found. It will be accounted for."
"Not anymore sir." One of the soldiers announced, dragging a young boy from his home. His fellow guards carrying out the aforementioned missing sacks behind him.
Elizabeth watched as their leader sneered at the boy - his look of contempt was enough for her to understand that this business was not over yet. "Who helped the boy?" The man barked at the villagers, moving his own horse menacingly towards them. He leaned forwards and tried again, "I am not a fool - this boy could not have done this alone. Step forward now and I will show lenience." At the continued silence, he scowled, "Very well, the main perpetrators will be found and they will be punished." Pulling the reins of his horse, he started to turn away from the villagers, "Bring the boy."
"WAIT!"
Much tried to resist the urge to give a sigh of exasperation as his master strolled through the surprised villagers - he should be well used to Robin's love of theatrics by now - but the nearby sniggering from Elizabeth told him that he failed miserably. He arched an eyebrow at her as he pulled off his bag from his shoulder to look for something. She shrugged and turned her attention back to the centre of the village.
Robin had come to a halt before the lead rider, who looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Guy of Gisborne."
Elizabeth perked up when she heard Robin speak. She glanced again at the figure in the black leather - so this was the infamous Guy of Gisborne.
"That's Sir Guy of Gisborne to you." One of the guards snapped at Robin, clearly the man did not recognise him, "And bow before your lord and master."
"Sir Guy of Gisborne," Robin amended, bowing his head in mock respect before he raised his head to speak directly to Gisborne. "My name is Robin, Earl of Huntingdon and Lord of this Manor. Your services here are no longer required."
Much draped the piece of fur around his friend's shoulders - signifying Robin's status - as the villagers sank to their knees before their lord. Elizabeth did likewise from her position by the Scarlet family, still watching the interaction between Robin and Gisborne. She couldn't help but giggle as the two men continued to glare at each other - it seemed that they were daring the other to make the next move.
Gisborne broke first and he pulled his horse away, heading towards Locksley Manor. Robin turned to Much and nodded at him. His old friend rose to his feet; the other villagers following his example. Robin called over his shoulder to Elizabeth, "Are you coming with us? Or do you want to stay here?"
"I'll stay here," she responded before pointing in the direction that Gisborne had gone. "Your home is in that direction, isn't it?"
He raised his hand in an answer to her question. "We'll see you later then," Robin added before turning and following the path that Gisborne had taken back to his home. Much was strolling beside him once again, humming as he walked.
